Azure Cosmos DB Pricing Details
Understand the pricing model for Azure Cosmos DB, a globally distributed, multi-model database service. Cosmos DB offers various pricing tiers and options to fit your application's needs and budget.
Key Pricing Components
Azure Cosmos DB pricing is primarily based on the following components:
- Throughput: Measured in Request Units per second (RU/s). This is the most significant factor in your Cosmos DB costs.
- Storage: The amount of data you store in your Cosmos DB accounts, measured in GB per month.
- Operations: The number and type of database operations performed.
- Region: Pricing can vary slightly by Azure region.
Throughput (RU/s)
Request Units (RUs) are a normalized measure of database throughput. A request unit represents the computational work required to perform various database operations, such as reads, writes, and queries.
You can provision throughput in two ways:
- Manual Throughput: You specify the exact RU/s you want for your database or container.
- Autoscale Throughput: Cosmos DB automatically scales your throughput up or down based on your workload's actual usage, up to a maximum limit you define. This is often more cost-effective for variable workloads.
The cost of RU/s depends on the consistency level and the provisioned throughput. Higher consistency levels and higher RU/s will result in higher costs.
Example: Provisioning 1000 RU/s for a container will incur a cost based on that value, plus the cost of storage.
Storage
You are charged for the amount of data stored in your Cosmos DB database. This includes the data itself, indexes, and transaction logs. The storage cost is typically per GB per month.
Note: Storage is often bundled with the RU/s cost for a base price, but exceeding certain storage limits may incur additional charges.
Pricing Tiers and Models
Azure Cosmos DB offers different API options, each with its own pricing nuances, although the core RU/s and storage model remains consistent:
- Core (SQL) API: The primary NoSQL document database API.
- MongoDB API: For applications using MongoDB.
- Cassandra API: For applications using Apache Cassandra.
- Gremlin API: For graph databases.
- Table API: For applications using Azure Table storage.
Cost Management and Optimization
To optimize your Azure Cosmos DB costs:
- Monitor Usage: Regularly check your RU/s consumption and storage usage through the Azure portal.
- Choose the Right Throughput Model: Use autoscale for variable workloads and manual throughput for predictable, constant workloads.
- Optimize Queries: Efficient queries consume fewer RUs.
- Data Lifecycle Management: Implement TTL (Time To Live) to automatically delete old data.
- Regional Costs: Be mindful of pricing differences across Azure regions.
Example Pricing (Illustrative - check official calculator for exact figures)
| Region | Throughput (RU/s) | Storage (GB/month) | Estimated Monthly Cost (Manual) |
|---|---|---|---|
| West US | 1,000 RU/s | 10 GB | $29.50 - $44.25* |
| West US | 10,000 RU/s | 50 GB | $295.00 - $442.50* |
| East US | 1,000 RU/s | 10 GB | $30.00 - $45.00* |
*Cost is approximate and depends on consistency level, region, and specific Azure pricing changes. Visit the Azure Pricing Calculator for precise estimations.
Free Tier and Trial Options
Azure Cosmos DB offers a free tier for development and testing purposes, providing a limited amount of throughput and storage at no cost. You can also leverage the Azure Free Account for a trial period.
Next Steps
Ready to get started or learn more about optimizing your costs?
View Official Pricing Cost Optimization Guide Try Azure Cosmos DB Free